FREE Sofa Evangelism

"Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify you Father in heaven" (Matthew 5:16).

My wife decided to get rid of a used sofa in our storage room. So instead of trying to sell it, she thought she would try to give it away to someone in need. It was a little ragged, but it could still be a blessing to someone just starting out.

We advertised it in a free internet site. She received only one call. After some time, this woman arranged to come to our house and pick it up. I told her to be sure to bring a friend to help move it. So when her friend and I were done loading it into her truck, I was prayed up and ready to see how I could share my faith with them before they left.

I asked them if I could share with them the greatest thing that had EVER happened to me. (It's always good to ask for permission to share first.) They said sure, and were all ears! I said something like this...

You know, I used to be searching, lonely, and depressed. I wondered what purpose MY life had, if any. But one day someone told me I could have a living relationship with Jesus Christ. Not just dead ritual... but a best friend who would never leave me. I invited Jesus to forgive me and be in the driver's seat of my life. And do you know what happened? He did... He forgave me, He gave me new purpose and new hope! So I just wanted to share this with you before you left today. By the way, who is in the driver's seat of your life?

Well, I call it Good Works Evangelism. You see, people ought to be able to see something in your behavior that attracts them to the Jesus in you. What can we do for people out of love for Jesus? When you are done doing the good works, then pray if God will eventually give you an opportunity to tell them why you love to do GOOD WORKS. Enjoy the journey!

Tom Elie
Evangelist/President
Oasis World Ministries

I Can't Wait!

"God has set eternity in the hearts of men." Ecclesiastes 3:11

We recently flew into the Minneapolis airport during a rain storm. Because it was also lighting, the outside ramp crews were prohibited from servicing the planes. We taxied within 200 feet of our gate. We could see the empty gate. We could've walked there in 60 seconds if they allowed it. But, the pilots were prohibited from parking the jet because there were no service personnel available while it was lightning.

So there we sat… longing for something that was temporarily unreachable.

That's how God made us. We all have a deep longing for the perfect No matter how great the vacation, the night-on-the-town, the job promotion or the earthly accomplishment, it never brings the lasting joy for which we had hoped. Tomorrow always has new challenges.

According to author Mark Buchanan in his book, "Things Unseen", this is not a flaw. "God made us this way. He made us to yearn- to always be hungry for something we can't get, to always be missing something we can’t find, to always be disappointed with what we receive, to always have an insatiable emptiness that no thing can fill and an untamable restlessness that no discovery can still. It's not the wanting that corrupts us. What corrupts us is the wanting that's misplaced, set on the wrong thing."

What can I see in the distance, but can't obtain?

HEAVEN! We all have a longing to live life to it's fullest. But the only time and place it will ever happen is in heaven! Our life here can either frustrate us, or remind us that I am only experiencing life half-way on this earth. We often have a homesick feeling. Someday soon the dream will be a reality. Let's stay focused on the stuff that matters for eternity… SOULS!


Living intentionally for souls,
Tom Elie
Evangelist/President
Oasis World Ministries